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TI-2026-68089 Aliases CVE-2026-98198GHSA-vr2q-55hv-76j4

Use after free in Linux kernel pwm-fan hwmon driver timer

Priority LOW 22Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
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Privileges required
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User interaction
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Attack complexity
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Impact type
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Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix

No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.

Summary

The Linux kernel hwmon pwm-fan driver registers the RPM timer's shutdown action before its backing data is allocated. On driver detach, devres can free the tachometer arrays before the timer is stopped, and a timer callback can then read and write freed memory in sample_timer(). The flaw was reproduced with KASAN during sysfs unbind. The fix registers timer retirement after the timer's backing data and IRQ actions are installed, so the timer is retired before that data is released.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06

Description from the CNA

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: hwmon: (pwm-fan) Stop RPM timer before freeing tach data sample_timer() rearms the RPM timer and accesses the devm-managed ctx->tachs and ctx->pulses_per_revolution arrays. The cleanup action which stops the timer is registered before those arrays are allocated. Since devres releases entries in reverse order, driver detach can free the arrays before pwm_fan_cleanup() shuts down the timer. A timer expiry in that window accesses the freed tach data. With a KASAN kernel, a test-only kprobe delayed entry to pwm_fan_cleanup() while normal sysfs unbind ran. Each of three runs reported three four-byte reads and two four-byte writes in sample_timer() after its backing devm allocations had been freed. The helper did not invoke the timer callback, cleanup actions or free functions. With the fix, three matching unbind runs completed without KASAN, BUG, WARNING, Oops or panic. Instrumentation confirmed that timer retirement completed before the first timer backing allocation was released. Split timer retirement from the power cleanup and register its devres action after the timer backing data and IRQ actions are installed. This preserves the early power rollback action while ensuring the timer is retired before its backing data is released. Use timer_shutdown_sync() because the callback can rearm itself.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.00173 6th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160 +4Red Hat: 4 without a fix

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
LinuxLinux5.12 and later5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8, 7.3Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.12 and later Fixed in 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8, 7.3 Patch available CNA

CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1

Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*——Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·Linux

Remediation

Update the Linux kernel to 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8 or 7.3. Red Hat has no fix plan available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8, 7.3

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Not affected: 4 products
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
  • Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98198
  2. 2026-10-06 Alias added: GHSA-vr2q-55hv-76j4
  3. 2026-10-09 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  4. 2026-10-09 CVSS score added · Red Hat
  5. 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
  6. 2026-10-21 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@d073d306e587c1f35aaf9c07c42e54a3d5895d8f · CNA
  7. 2026-10-21 1 new reference · CNA
  8. 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@6f890d1fe8325ac8330473428b9a9d6526de1b32 +1 · CNA
  9. 2026-10-30 2 new references · CNA
  10. 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat

References

  • TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2021-02452 Incorrect authorization in Ubuntu linux kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
  • TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
See all 21727 →

Sources